Imran Khan gets third conviction in a week, this time over his marriage to third wife

On Saturday (Feb 3), a court in Pakistan declared the marriage between former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his third wife, Bushra Bibi, illegal according to Islamic law, resulting in a seven-year jail sentence for both, according to statements from Khan’s political party. This marks the third judgment in a week adversely impacting the reputation of the ex-cricket star turned politician, following his conviction in cases related to leaking state secrets and corruption, with concurrent sentences of 10 and 14 years, respectively.

Khan, ousted from power in April 2022 through a no-confidence vote, contends that the nearly 200 charges brought against him since then are part of a concerted effort by the military-led establishment to prevent his participation in the upcoming elections on Feb 8. The convictions revolve around a specific Islamic law termed “iddat,” which mandates a waiting period of three months for a widow or divorced woman before remarriage, ensuring clarity on paternity in case of pregnancy. The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, led by Khan, confirmed the court’s decision, highlighting another setback for the former prime minister.